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Johanna Barton met Malcolm Kent in April of 1959 at the annual fraternity-sorority songfest. She was completing her final year in English Honours and he was the older brother of one of the singers. The after-party had been at a home in the university district, and Johanna had gone into the den alone to catch her breath from the crush of the singing, dancing crowd. She was admiring an Emily Carr painting when he came into the room.

“I see you appreciate art,” he said.

“Yes, my aunt gave me a small sketch of hers,” she answered, pointing to the painting, not taking her eyes off it. “She also gave me a Vivien Cowan painting. You know, Vivien is influenced by A.Y. Jackson.”

“No, I didn’t know.”

She had turned to see an elegant man, black hair parted and combed flat, dressed in a dark three-piece suit. Their eyes met and she felt that she was Elizabeth Bennett looking into the eyes of D’Arcy inPride and Prejudice.

“Oh,” she said, with a hint of surprise. “I’m sorry. I tend to babble on about art. It must be the teacher in me.”

“Don’t be sorry. I’m a good listener. Do you teach art?”

“No, Icollect art. I intend to teach English. Who are you?”

“I’m Malcolm Kent, Barry’s big brother.”

“That explains it.”

“Explains what?”

“You don’t look like a student. I thought you might be aprofessor.”

“No,” he laughed. “I’m a lawyer.”

They spent the rest of the evening sparring with each other and exchanging knowing glances. He had driven her home.

Johanna’s prior experience with men had been limited to a high school crush, her eccentric classmate Vladimir, and necking with fraternity boys in the back seats of cars. Malcolm was significantly different; a city of Vancouver prosecutor and twelve years her senior. She was amused and enthralled by his courtship. It hadn’t escaped her that he had conducted his seduction as if she was the most important case he had ever argued. To have a successful, cultured man give her his full attention p